An Unexpected Recovery
by DxDOnline
Summary: Yuuki has been in and out of the hospital all her life, battling the AIDS virus for years. With the death of both her parents and her sister over, she seems to be happy to be close to death. She then meets Asuna, a warrior and survivor, who teaches her that she needs to keep fighting. Then, before her 6 months to live were over, a cure for AIDS was discovered. Will she survive?
1. Chapter 1: The Big News

**Chapter 1: The Big News**

**Hey everybody! I just wanted to thank all of you who may have read my last story. It is a work in progress and I am sorry it is taking me this long to update it. Now, here is my second story for you all, titled ****An Unexpected Recovery****. This story is set just ahead of the anime Mother's Rosario arc; basically, I am changing events from the light novel. Therefore, I suggest that if you have not yet read the light novel, do NOT read this story. This story contains SPOILERS regarding the series, although I will be changing the light novels path a little. As always, if you like this story, please review any suggestions as to how you want it to go, and favorite and/or follow as you see fit. Well, now that I have finished my little rant, I give you the story.** **ENJOY!**

* * *

The year was 2026. Yuuki had received word no more than four months ago that there was no hope for her, that she had six more months to live; that the AIDS virus would take hold of her physical body and kill her in just six months. Upon hearing that news just 4 months ago, all she could do was cry out her sorrows. Her mom and dad had passed away just two years ago, and her sister had passed just last year form that same disease. Now truly alone, she didn't know what to think about the last 6 months of her life.

At first, she thought things would get better. She thought she could surpass the disease, and that she would be able to live in peace someday. Then, people found out she was infected. Shouts of hate and disgust began to fly her way, and soon enough, she began to gradually get worse. By March of 2025, she was sent to the hospital for treatment and care. Later on, she was introduced to the virtual reality and VRMMORPG's. The doctors said that this would help her get her mind of things and to relax. So she played.

By the second month of hospitalization, she had delved deep into those immersive worlds. She had met new people and seen so many amazing things. In fact, she got to the point that she didn't want to leave those worlds. She wanted to stay in them foreve.r, because in those worlds, she wasn't ill. She wasn't struggling for her life in those worlds. She was strong and healthy, and was becoming even stronger even though her own physical body became weaker.

Then, that fateful day came. Yuuki remembered it exactly. October 10, 2025.

* * *

_ One of the lead doctors came in to Yuuki's room while she was eating lunch. A ham sandwich with cheese and an apple along with some orange juice was all she was given, but for her, it was delicious. The doctor got closer to her bead, which had her full dive device, the MediCuboid, hanging just above it. "Yuuki... there's something we need to tell you. Something important," said the doctor._

_Yuuki stopped eating, and looked up at the doctor. "Sure, what's up?" she asked, genuinely curious._

_"Well... I don't exactly know how to put this... your family got killed not that long ago by the same disease that afflicts you now, and well... I don't exactly WANT to tell you this... ummm..." stammered the doctor._

_ "Oh, geez, will you just say it already!" said Yuuki, frustrated that the doctor was in the room._

_ "Well... based on some tests that we have conducted over the time you have been here, we have concluded that... well... you aren't going to make it," the doctor explained._

_"Wait, what are you talking about?! Spit it out!" shouted Yuuki in shock._

_"Yuuki, based on our results, we conclude that you only have six more months to live," finished the doctor._

_Yuuki just sat there in shock. She had always imagined that she would leave the hospital happy and healthy. That she would be taken care of and cured some day. But all she got was six more months. Six more lousy months in the hospital. "When did you determine this, doctor?" asked Yuuki._

_ "Just last night, as we were looking at some tests that we conducted over the course of your stay," the doctor explained, "We determined that at the rate the virus is affecting your body, it will completely take hold and kill you in six months time."_

_ Yuuki was in despair. She didn't know what to think. It was as if all her hopes and dreams had gone down the drain. In an instant, that sadness turned into rage._

_"Get out," said Yuuki._

_"Excuse me?" asked the doctor._

_ "I said GET OUT! OUT, OUT, OUT, GET OUT!," Yuuki screamed. She was mad. All her dreams were not going to come true. She would be confined to the hospital until the day she died. The doctor backed off and got near the door. _

_At that moment, Yuuki wanted to fly. She wanted to soar and get away from this hospital and her life. She wanted to live free of the disease and grow up a normal student. She slowly curled up into a sitting ball, desperately trying to hold back the tears. "Why can't I live like a normal kid? Why do I have to suffer?" thought Yuuki. _

_The doctor near the door witnessed that she was slowly shedding tears. He saw her pain, her anguish at being trapped in this situation. Then, she felt someone give her a hug. She hadn't even realized that she was curled up with her knees close to her chest and tears rolling down her eyes. When she turned to where she felt the hug, she saw the doctor there with her._

_Looking at him do that, she started to cry even more. Not because of her situation or because of the news, but because she had someone to be there with. Through the night, he stayed with her, watching her sleep peacefully._

* * *

As Yuuki thought about that day, she got more and more depressed. She finally decided to stop and go back online.

Lately she has been going online a lot. Maybe it was because, deep down, she hoped to be like that person online: strong, healthy, and living out her life in peace. As she thought about these things, she lay down on her bed and brought down her full dive device, the Medicuboid, near her head. The device was about the size of a medium watermelon, yet somehow light. It looked like a newer version of the Amusphere, except with a part that shields the top part of her skull. The thing also functioned like an Amusphere. So after she decided on what game to play, she laid down on the gurney, put on the device, and shouted, "Link Start!"

A bright white light shined and it seemed as though she was sucked in. Then all of a sudden, she got a message in the corner of her screen. "Oh, great, now what's up," Yuuki wondered. The message read, "**Yuuki, Big News for YOU. As soon as you log in, log back out so we can tell you all the details! Signed, Doctor Lawrence**." "_Hmm, that's odd. What could he mean",_ Yuuki wondered.

She did as the doctor told her. As soon as she entered her in-game avatar, she opened her main menu and logged out. As soon as she logged out and removed her MediCuboid, she saw the face of the head doctor, Dr. Lawrence. He was a short, muscular man in his late twenties with a little goatee just beneath his lower lip. He had on a white coat and an ID badge pinned to his coat's lapel. "Hey, Yuuki, how have you been faring?" he asked.

"Well, I could be running around and playing with other kids, if that's what you mean'" Yuuki responded sarcastically.

"Now, now," Dr. Lawrence said, "No need to get all fussy when we have such good news to give you!"

"So, what is this 'good news'," Yuuki asked.

"Well, based on your condition," Dr. Lawrence began, "The team that looks over you, along with myself, have agreed to begin treatment with an experimental cure that we have just developed," the doctor finished ecstatically.

At first, Yuuki didn't know what to think. "_An experimental cure? What is he saying,"_ Yuuki thought. Then, it hit her. "_A chance to get out of here. To be rid of the virus and to live freely among other kids!" _Yuuki was in shock. Tears began to stream down her face because she couldn't hold them back. A chance to be free and to live the way she wanted to live was all she wanted.

"Treatment will begin tomorrow at around 8 AM. You better be ready," Dr. Lawrence said with a smile. As the doctor's exited, with Dr. Lawrence at the rear, Yuuki whispered, "Thank You, Dr. Lawrence." Dr. Lawrence just smiled in response. This may be the longest night of her life, but it would be worth it in the end, because she would get treatment that may very well help save her life.


	2. Chapter 2: The Long Road Ahead, Pt 1

Chapter 2: The Long Road Ahead- Pt 1.

A/N: Hello, people of Fanfiction. I have a question for all of you. So far, what can you say about this story? Now, I know that this question is a little redundant in this community, but I seriously want to know. I want to tailor this story to other fans of the SAO series, and as such, I want to know what you think should happen to our dear friend Yuuki. So anyway, that's my bit, and now, I give you the second chapter of this story. As always, leave a review and favorite and/or follow as you see fit, and here you go. ENJOY!

As the day ended, Yuuki had delved back into the game world to one of her most favorite games: Alfheim Online. Most recently, she had logged in about 100 hours in the world of ALO. Most recently, she had been working with friends she met that are in the same situation as she is, all with illnesses that had no cure and that all harbored death. They had all created a guild known as the Sleeping Knights guild.

When Yuuki finally arrived in her ALO avatar, it was already 8 in the evening. Yet she knew her guild mates were still in the game. _Why would the leave, anyway_, Yuuki thought, _It's not like they had anything better to do in the hospital. _In her mind, this made sense. Why would they leave the game, where they feel no pain, if they were suffering in their own physical bodies.

As Yuuki went to the tavern that was near the teleport gate, she began to think, _Am I really gonna get cured? Am I really gonna have a chance? _Her body shuddered with joy, and her mind went blank for half a second. _Hey Yuuki, calm down_, she thought.

When she got the tavern, the first person she found was Siune. She was sitting at a table by herself. As she got closer to the Siune's table, she noticed something bizarre. While her posture looked like she was relaxed and calm, she noticed a bright trail that led down her face. _Tears? Was she really crying? What's going on? _She decide to come in behind the mage and surprise her, to sort of cheer her up. She slowly creeped up behind her chair, and right when she got to the back of it, she shaked the chair a little, which made the person in it jump a little.

"Hey! Who's back there?!" the mage asked in fright.

"It's me!" Yuuki said as she poked her head from behind Siune's chair. Siune just slumped in her chair, relieved that it wasn't some random guy out to get her.

"Yuuki sat down across from her friend and ordered some food for herself. She didnt know why, but for some reason, she felt hungry. She turned to her friend.

"So, what's up? What are you doing hanging out here all alone?" Yuuki asked.

"Well, I just decided to grab a quick bite and then head out to meet the others at the stone."

"Oh.", Yuuki said, a little dimayed. By the stone, Yuuki knew she was referring to the Monument of Swordsman that was located in New Aincrad. The big stone on the first floor of the Black Iron Castle in New Aincrad's Starting City had now become a familiar meeting place. Everyone in the Sleeping Knights guild, of which she was the proud leader, wanted their names engraved on it.

However, in order for that to happen, they needed to defeat a floor boss, which is nearly impossible to do with just themselves. The other problem was that if they help other guilds in a normal boss raid party defeat the floor boss, then only the names of the guild leaders who participated become engraved.

So that was their issue. For some time, Yuuki had been looking for someone to help them find that someone who could help them. Their guild currently had six members, and the stone engraving can hold up to 7 members per floor boss. They knew that going into the boss room with six people would be suicide, so they had all agreed that they needed a 7th person to help them fight. They knew this person had to be strong and had to have a strong respect for the game and other players.

"Well, you seem pretty pensive today," Siune said, breaking up Yuuki's train of thought.

"Yeah, I guess I have a lot on my mind," responded Yuuki, "Besides, I've been thinking about the good news I have for all of you." She had considered telling Siune first, since she was her second in command.

"Really?! What is it?" asked Siune. Although Yuuki wanted to tell her the good news, she decided to hold off and wait until they meet the others. "Oh, come on, Yuuki. Can you at least give me a hint as to what it is?" Siune pleaded.

"Nope, not until we meet the others at the Black Iron Castle," Yuuki said jokingly. Siune sighed and gave up her advances in trying to find the truth. She figured that she wouldn't get anywhere with Yuuki anyway, her being as stubborn as she is.

Soon after, an NPC brought the young women their orders. As they finished their meal, they got up and left a tip for the MPC server that had brought their meals. _They may not be completely alive, but it's good to be modest, at least, _Yuuki thought_. _Within an hour they were prepared at the teleport gate, ready to go to meet the others at the Monument of Swordsmen .

"Teleport! Starting City!" the girls shouted. In an instant, they shined brilliantly one moment, and the next moment they were gone. A few seconds later, they arrived at the center plaza of the Starting City. Several players were in the Central Plaza, chatting awa about the latest quest and trading both information and gear. Siune and Yuuki ignored all this and went straight for the Black Iron Castle, which was located on the eastern side of the city.

Upon reaching the Castle, one thing was clear. The building was huge! it was probably around 50 meters high and the metal shined in the rays of the setting sun. In Yuuki's opinion, this view was one of the best sights she's seen since she started playing. Upon entering the main floor, they were astounded by the grandness of the space, despite the repeated visits. A few meters ahead of them, the stone stood. It's black surface had a somewhat glossy tone,many the light that streamed behind it only added to that effect. As they got closer to the stone, they noticed that the rest of the guild had already gathered there.

"Hey, guys!" Yuuki said rather excitedly, "How's everyone been?" by the looks on everyones' faces, they looked happy to see Siune and Yuuki.

"Hey Yuuki!" said Tecchi, the hammer-wielder, "We've been waiting for you guys for a little over 20 minutes. What were you doing?"

"Oh, we just grabbed a quick bite to eat on Floor 20 before we came here," explained Siune. The rest of the group seemed to get what had happened, so they didn't comment on the response.

"So," said Jun, a two-handed sword-wielder, trying to clear the awkward silence, "moving on to different things. Have you found anyone that can help us?" He ended up posing the question that many of the other members seemed to have been wanting to ask but didn't have the nerve. They all turned to Yuuki, waiting for her to respond."

Well, actually..." Yukki started, "I don't think I have anyone yet, but I am sure that the person will come along soon." As she said this, Yuuki started to feel nervous and embarrassed about that issue. She knew that everyone was patiently waiting for her decision, but so far, all she could say was that she hadn't found someone yet. Upon hearing this news, everyone sunk their heads, feeling like there wasn't any hope.

"But actually, I have better news to share with all of you," said Yuuki, who was trying to lighten up the mood. _This is it, let's see what they feel about it, _Yuuki thought.

"What is it, Yuuki?" asked Siune.

"Yeah, what is it?" the others chimed in.

"Well, it's a long story..." started Yuuki. In a matter of minutes, she told them about her deadline announcement a few months ago. As she was telling them, she was reminded of the pain and sadness that she felt. Then she told them about the doctors message earlier that day and how he had told her that she was to try this new drug. "And so, he wants to see if I can take the drug and see if it works. The treatment is due to start up early the next morning," ended Yuuki.

As everyone stood there, digesting what they had just been told, looks of pure joy and relief showed on their face. In a matter of moments, the boys of the guild began cheering ecstatically and jumping up and down. Yuuki had to admit, they were a crazy bunch. When she turned to see Siune, she saw that she had began to cry silently among the guys. But Yuuki knew those tears were from sadness. _Not like the tears she shed earlier, _Yuuki thought. She knew that Siune's tears were actually tears of joy for her dear friend.

That day, after their little fit, the boys decided to take Yuuki and Siune out to eat and to celebrate Yuuki's chance of survival. The girls just laughed and accepted, knowing full well that when the boys did this, they wouldn't take no for an answer. So they went to the Central Plaza of the Starting City and in an instant, teleported bakc to Floor 20 and celebrated at the best tavern in town.

As the group celebrated, Yuuki realized something about the guild. She noted that although her dear members and friends were battling the most dangerous of diseases in the real world, they always seemed to have joy in their hearts. And as she thought about this, a feeling of warmth began to eminate from deep within her chest. _Maybe this is what hope feels like, _Yuuki thought, relishing the as the night came to a close and the morning rays of the sun began to show over the horizon, Yuukisaid goodbye to her companions, hoping that she could see them as soon as the treatment process ended in the real world.


	3. Chapter 3: The Long Road Ahead

**Chapter 3: The Long Road Ahead**

**A/N:**** Hello there, my fellow readers! Sorry this has taken me so long to update! While writing this, I suddenly had a severe case of writers block! That and the fact that the stress of waiting for admissions responses from several colleges has given me a lot of stress and time-consuming work to file financial-aid forms! Well, anyway, hopefully this chapter is worth the wait! Thanks again for reading, and be sure to favorite and follow as you see fit! Now here is Chapter 3 of ****An Unexpected Recovery****! Enjoy!**

* * *

When Yuuki awoke from her adventure in ALO that morning, she was blinded by the light that emanated from the off-white walls of the hospital room. _Damn, why is it so bright in here_, Yuuki subconsciously complained. She looked off to the left and noticed that the blinds in the room were open enough for a large flood of light to come in. _Looks like the doctors came in and forgot to close the shades, _Yuuki thought. She managed to find the remote that controls virtually everything in the room and pressed the _Shades- Close _button. Within a few seconds, the shades closed, and the only light in the room became the one coming from the ceiling. She sighed, relieved that the glaring light was gone.

Then it hit her. _Wait, why did the light bother me just now? _Normally, she would have paid no attention to the lighting in the room or the color of the walls. Normally, she would just sulk in bed and not talk to anyone. So for her, these feelings of annoyance and curiosity were all new to her. _What the hell is going on_, Yuuki asked herself.

Just as she thought that she had discovered why, Dr. Lawrence came into her room. "Can I come in?" he asked to the only patient in the room.

"Yeah," Yuuki said in response.

"Well, you certainly sound more cheery," the doctor said. _What in the hell are you talking about_, Yuuki thought. "It seems that the treatment is starting to take effect already."

"What are you talking about here, doc?" Yuuki asked. And for once, she seemed genuinely curious as to what he meant.

"Well, Yuuki. I kind of lied to you about when the treatment was supposed to start," the doctor started. "Because the treatment required several injections to several parts of the body, we thought that maybe deceiving you would be the best option. You know, to give both you and us a more comfortable procedure," he explained. "Right now, as we speak, the serums we've injected into your body are circulating through your bloodstream and finding any infected cells."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, doc. Look, I may be feeling a teeny bit better, but I don't think that my brain can handle all this. Can you just speak in English please?" Yuuki said, her brain beginning to burst from the outpouring of info. In fact, it became so much that she began to feel light headed. She decided to lie down and to calm herself down a little.

"Looks like the side effects of the serums are starting to take hold," Dr. Lawrence said under his breath, but still loud enough for Yuuki to hear. "The only that I want you to do now is relax and take it easy. If this works, I want to make sure you make a full recovery. You got that, Yuuki?" the doctor asked sternly, yet noticeably sincere.

"Yeah, okay doc," said Yuuki, who had started to become increasingly tired. And as the doctor began to leave the room, he couldn't help but notice that Yuuki soon fell into a peaceful slumber.

"Sleep well, Yuuki, "The doctor whispered, "Sleep well."

**A couple of hours later:**

As Yuuki's eyes opened, she began to feel a little lightheaded. _Damn medications, _she thought. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling to her now dark hospital room. _Maybe I should do something to get my mind off this place for a while, _Yuki decided. So she grabbed the Medicubioid that hung from her headboard and slipped it on her head. Within seconds, she was sent into the main space that housed her conscious before heading into a game. As she looked around, she found the side that housed a menu with a plethora of virtual games that she now owned and played.

As she side-scrolled through the list, she came to realize that she had spent a majority of her time in these worlds. Many of these games she had gotten through the hospital, but she actually came to love them. Her favorite one, _Alfheim Online_, had actually been a request Yuuki made to the doctor, and it was one that she wouldn't regret.

She scrolled through her vast library of games until she found what she was looking for. She quickly read the title _Alfheim Online_, and clicked the large _PLAY _button on the end of the page. Within seconds, she was transported to the land of fairies and magic. She was transported to the First Floor of New Aincrad, where she was fairly familiar with at this point. She looked at the in-game server time. _2:45 PM…_ At that moment, she realized that she had been late to her most favorite event. She ran like lightning to the teleport gate, trying to make up for lost time.

She ran up the steps to the center of the teleport gate. "Teleport! Coral Village!" Within minutes, Yuuki had arrived at the little island in the middle of one of Floor 22's beautiful ponds. The island was so familiar, that she had considered it a second home for the past couple of months. On this island, her name was Zekken, the Absolute Sword. She had become infamous for her duel win streak of 67 wins-0 losses. Lately, she had been trying to find someone who would help her achieve her and guild's dream of having their names engraved into that stone.

_I have to do this, for my guild. _

As she approached the island, she had noticed that a crowd had begun appearing. _Damn it, I wasn't fast enough! _She flew to the back of the tree located on the far edge of the island, and equipped her usual dueling gear. She wore a purple helmet that covered a good majority of her face. The only thing that wasn't covered was her eyes, yet you still couldn't see them. _No one will know who it is until they actually beat me, _Yuuki thought. It was a promise she had made to herself a long time ago, and one she would hope to keep.

As she approached the center of the crowd, she noticed that there was a group that seemed to notice each other quite well. The blue haired Undine looked kind of reluctant, but her friends were pushing her to come forward. In a way, she did want to fight, but there was that hesitant look about her. In fact, if it wasn't for her friends pushing her to do it, that fateful battle might not have ever even happened. But it did.

The Undine stepped forward and proclaimed her challenge. _Alright, let's do this, _Yuuki thought. "OK, let's," said the Undine. Yuuki's cheeks flushed a little. _Did I really just say that out loud? _She sent her duel request, and a moment later, the countdown timer slowly ticked down. As her opponent got in her stance, Yukki analyzed her opponent. Knowing the Undine race, she figured it was going to be a more or less fair fight. Undines were known mainly for their spellcasting abilities and healing spells, so a one on one fight isn't exactly their strongpoint. Yet, this fighter was different. She didn't know how, but she was.

As soon as the ready message appeared, her opponent charged at her full force. _Huh, going all out? Interesting already…, _Yukki thought. She maneuvered through her jabs and blocked the ones she wasn't able to properly dodge. _Damn, she's fast_. The battle continued and Yuuki was able to land a couple hits on her opponent. Her opponent, however, was able to land a clean jab that left a slight scar on her left cheek. _Well then, that's something, _Yuuki thought.

For a moment, both fighters were still. Yuuki's opponent seemed to hesitate, a look of anguish and fear tinged on her face. Then, as if in a couple of milliseconds, a different face appeared. This one, however, was not of fear, but of sheer determination. In fact, the more she looked at her opponent's face, the more scared she became of her.

_Get a grip, Yuuki! She's not all that tough… _As if in a matter of seconds, the dust billowed again. This time, though, the fighting was doubly more intense. Sword-skills were swinging left and right, and blows are being blocked or dodged at lightning speed.

"_I have to end this, right now!" _Yuuki thought. As swords swung to and fro, she noticed things were going to get nowhere. A couple of minutes later, they locked swords and both seemed to have determination set in their eyes. Then, she felt a force coming from her midsection. She looked down to notice that the warrior had punched her in the gut.

_Damn it! A cheap shot, _Yuuki thought. In that period after the fist disconnected, the blue haired Undine went for a forward thrust, her sword beaming with light. _A Sword Skill, probably something like Quadruple Pain, _she deduced. She moved quickly as she realized her prediction was correct and diverted the blow. At first, her opponent seemed shocked. The Undine then, out of desperation, went after her and activated another sword skill.

_Looks like she's impulsive, but skilled._ Yuuki also predicted this skill and activated her Original Sword Skill, **Mother's Rosario**. The Undine, for a moment, thought that she had this battle won, but then Yuuki sped up and started going at her full force. By the 10th hit, Yuuki had made her decision.

_She's the one, _she realized, _the one that can help us realize our dreams. _She stopped her sword just before marking her 11th hit, and stepped back a little. At firs, the Undine seemed shocked. Yuuki walked up to her opponent, grabbed her shoulder, flashed a smile, and said, "That was great. I pick you, miss!" Her opponent stood there, a confused look on her face.

"What about the duel?" her opponent asked.

"Fighting this much is too much for me," responded Yuuki, "Do you want to go all the way?" The Undine shook her head. Yuuki giggled, and said, "I was looking for someone who seemed just right. And I finally found them!" She extended her hand, as if to shake it, but the moment the Undine grabbed hold, she took off. "Asuna!" her friends wailed in the background, worry laced in their voices. As soon as she got out of the confines of the floating castle, she bowed her head. "Please, Help Us!" Yuuki begged.

Asuna just stood there, confusion threaded in her mind. Just what exactly happened she didn't know, but she realized that the decision she made here would affect both of their lives forever.

* * *

**P.S.: Just an Update, I have been trying to get some ideas for his chapter, but came up cold any route I went. I then realized that I had to go with the anime direction just because it would most foreshadow what would happen next. So yes, I am aware that this chapter is mainly a long description of an episode of the anime, but in the coming chapters, things will definitely go off-cannon. Just wait. So as always, like and favorite as you see fit, and ill see you in the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4: Work to Come

**Chapter 4: Work to Come**

**A/N:** **Hey, all! Hopefully you enjoyed my last chapter. Now, I know what you may be thinking: "Wasn't your chapter just a very long description of anime events?" (If not, then I thank you for having that much faith in my work!) For those of you who think this, you may actually be right. However, as I mentioned in my last chapter's footnote, I felt that the events of the anime well-suited my story and was necessary to foreshadow future events. However, as the plot progresses, you can be sure that the content will not be based on anime events. So thank you all for the views, and as always, leave a like and favorite as you see fit and drop a quick comment as well. Enjoy!**

"Umm, okay Zekken, if that is your official name." Asuna, the blue haired Undine said.

"Nah, that's just the name people here gave me. Call me Yuuki. Yuuki Konno," replied Yuuki with a smile. _Hopefully, she'll understand our predicament and help us._

"Ok, Yuuki, lead the way," said Asuna, the nervousness in her voice melting away with every word. Yuuki just gave another smile and asked her to follow her lead. In an hour or so, they met up with the rest of the guild down at their usual hangout.

"So, what are all your names?" Asuna asked.

"Ok, so from left to right we have Nori, Talken, Tecchi, Jun, and my second in command Siune," Yuuki explained. They all introduced themselves and gradually Asuna began to like them. She began to see that these were merely a group of kids with a common goal in mind.

"Yeah, and about our goal,' began Yuuki, "We want to clear a floor boss… just with us 7…" she explained a little nervously.

"HUUUUHH?!" Asuna gasped, in utter shock at the revelation. "Why would you want to do a thing like that!?" the Undine asked, her tone suggesting disbelief.

"Well, you see…" Siune began, we wat to sort of make an impression in this world, because by the time spring comes around, the guild will be disbanded." Nobody noticed that in the background, Yuuki grasped the cup she was holding just a little bit tighter. _Yeah, that's because of me, _Yuuki thought, _I'm the reason we might disband. _The doctor has only given her the first dose (or maybe he gave her the second right now? Yuuki wasn't sure about the schedule anymore.), and he didn't mention that it would completely help.

Asuna thought for a second, a look of uncertainty in her face, "Hmmm…" she began, "alright, I'll help you all out. It seems like fun, and a good challenge. Although, we may want to enlist some outside help for this quest." Upon hearing that, Yuuki seemed to get out of her stupor and looked up. _Did she really just say that, after all we told her, _Yuuki wondered, astonished. Everyone else had thought pretty much the same thing, looks of astonishment and anger painted on their faces.

"Now, I know what you're thinking, and I know you guys want all your names on the stone," the group calmed down a little upon hearing that, "but I think we may need some assistance outside of our little party in order to handle the boss. Trust me, they won't be listed on the stone if they aren't even in our party. I'll tell them that they can't be grouped in a party, so you can be the sole names on the stone." The group seemed to be relieved at the thought of not risking their names off the stone. Asuna too seemed to have relieved a little, as the reaction that the group gave her was a bit of a surprise to her. _They aren't messing around, _she thought, _they really want to do this by themselves. _Once they got a time and place to meet for the boss raid, the gang split up and logged out.

Dear Yuuki,

I know that you dived in earlier and decided to take the opportunity to give you the second dose of medicine. We also took a blood sample to analyze the effects of the medication on your blood stream. We'll come by tomorrow with the results of the tests. We would just monitor that stuff through the screens already in your room, but we need to make some more traditional tests that require some lab work. Rest up, and we'll talk about the results soon.

Signed,

Dr. Francis Lawrence

When Yuuki woke up in the hospital, she saw a note on the bedside table. It was from the doctor. It read:

_Well, one thing is for sure, he sure is optimistic_, Yuuki thought. She had to admit, there was still some doubt that this supposed cure would help, but a larger part of her hoped that it would be the one that would help her fight it. The thought suddenly calmed her a little, and she wondered how she would break the REAL reason to the guild's disbanding to her new companion Asuna. _Maybe she will be the only other person outside our group to understand, _she mused. As the light in the room that comes from the window dropped, Yuuki suddenly began to grow tired. She glanced at one of the monitors to find that it was near 9 in the evening. _Why am I getting tired now? I've usually dived for longer, _was all Yuuki could muster, before she was brought to a deep slumber, happy to have found the person that can help her achieve her dying wish.

**P.S.:**** So anyway, what did u think? I know this chapter is rather short, but I wanted to add this little bit so we can see what Yuuki and her guild felt about their wish. Expect another short chapter, as I feel like these little details are severely needed before the main action scenes. As always, feel free to favorite or follow as you see fit, and leave a review regarding your feelings to this story, as well as any content that you may want to see in the story, and I will see you all in the next one! :)**


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